The Miracle Of Loving You
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: "He gazed up at her with a smile still on his face, entranced by her flawless beauty as she glowed, not from the snowfall nor the moonlight, but with a transient radiance of her very own." A story of their relationship after 10 years of being together, of the hardships and cruelty of fate they must face, and of the unconditional love that they share. KazutoxAsuna (spoilers vol 9)
1. Planning

**Alright first thing's first. I've never written anything like this story before in my 8 years of writing fanfiction, and I can't imaging writing anything like it ever again, really.**

**Also, this takes place beginning in 2030, and will jump around a bit between the next few years, but please bear with me, as it is very important. And most of the story is somewhat flashbacks until certain points.**

**Unfortunately, I must put a _SPOILER alert_ on this. You really need to have read all the novels (at least the end of 9) in order to fully enjoy this story, as it takes place years after volume 10. Being familiar with Kawahara's other work, Accel World, may also help, but that isn't really as necessary as reading SAO.**

**Finally, this story is dedicated to all my SAO friends from tumblr, presently known as: voidedtime, soulofdragon, clueless1337, seannabanana, brandonchangg, justlikeawolf and many others! ****Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online.**

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The Miracle Of Loving You

Chapter 1. Planning

Kazuto Kirigaya was a young man, 22 years old, with a fairly easygoing life.

Several months ago, he had returned to Japan from America, accompanied by the woman whom he had been madly in love with for the past 8 years.

After he had asked her to join him in his trip to America, various events had taken place and problems arouse before they actually managed to get their plane tickets. They had gone during the American summertime and aside from the heavy duties of studying, the couple had also enjoyed many relaxing days out, be it at the beach, amusement parks, or local markets, before returning to their hotel room each night.

Those days were full of stress for work, but also of love, considering it had been their first time truly alone together excluding the times they spent together in the virtual worlds. But America had been an entirely different world in different ways; there were problems equivalent to boss-level monsters or as petty as a basic NPC quest, but the best part had undoubtedly been the lack of restrictions. They spent every night together, side by side, watching TV, reading books, and anything else they needed or wanted to do.

It was during each of those nights, with Asuna cuddled up asleep beside him, when Kazuto seriously began to think about when he should propose to her. He had saved enough money for various things, and knew that he had already made her wait too long already. Although those nights spent alone together made it feel like they were already married, there was still something lacking in the atmosphere; he wanted to find them a house back in Japan and be sure it was secure before deciding to alter her life forever.

He knew she probably waited every day for him to pull out that small box and get down on one knee, but she never seemed disappointed when he did not, either.

But surely, after almost 10 years of being together, she was growing as anxious as he was?

It was on one of their last nights together in American when Kazuto had decided what to do once they returned home; he would return to his work with testing online game modules for a while and search for the perfect ring, and he vowed to officially make her his wife within the upcoming year.

It was a lot to ponder and it all weighed significantly on him, but Kazuto had been planning this for the last portion of his life, and he was sure he was more than ready for it.

* * *

It was now one month before New Year's, and Kazuto was just about to leave work when he received a phone call on his cell.

When he recognized the nostalgic number, he half smiled and half grimaced as he answered. "Hello?"

"Oy, Kirito! Long time, no talk!" The hearty, deep voice was obviously Klein's; the man was in his 30s now, but still talked like a teenager. "You free this weekend? I gotta ask you about something."

"It's only been 3 days since we last talked." Kazuto sighed. "But yes, I'm free around noon." He informed his old friend.

"Great! We'll go to Agil's!" Klein decided rudely before hanging up.

"Wha-!" Kazuto called into the speaker but heard only the generic beeping sound of a person who was hung up on. "Idiot. At least tell me what this is about..." Although he mumbled that, Kazuto had a fairly good idea of what Klein was going to address.

Kazuto had recently started to consult his good friend for advice about Asuna. Although Klein was still what they liked to call a 'solo player in the game of love', he did somehow seem to know a thing or two about women. Naturally, he did not know Asuna personally as well as Kazuto did, however, he had put in some good advice for Kazuto regarding her in the past.

Kazuto wanted to make absolutely sure everything from here on out would go smoothly, therefore asking both Klein and Agil, a successfully and happily married man, their opinions on some things, Kazuto knew he could pull it off.

Although Kazuto attended University along with Asuna some days, they both still lived at their homes. Asuna had also gotten involved in a babysitting job that paid well, and their work and school schedules coincided. Therefore, before Kazuto returned home every night, he would drive over in his, of course, black car, to take her home.

As he did so today, he immediately spotted Asuna leaving the house, the three children she had been babysitting waving happily as she left them to their parents.

"Ah, Kirito-kun! Just in time!" She waved at him as he pulled up. Unlike his more formal work attire, her clothes were more casual, with a long skirt, a blouse, and an apron tied around her waist; a beauty of 23 years, she was definitely the perfect picture of a housewife.

As Kazuto caught himself thinking such thoughts, he quickly shook them off; he knew no matter how much he wanted to work and allow her to relax and stay home, she would definitely punch him if he ever said it out loud.

Just like always, there was no way Asuna would let him do everything by himself as she stayed someplace safe and quiet.

As she got into the car, Asuna quickly leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"It's getting cold out. You should start wearing warmer clothes." He noted.

"Geez, Kirito-kun..." she muttered. "I haven't seen you all day and _that's_ the first thing I hear from you?" She puffed out one cheek in a pout, still the exact same expression she had always shown him when she was vexed with him.

"Sorry." He chuckled as he began to drive. "How was it today?"

"Fun! I played a lot of games with them, and we went for a walk around the neighborhood. Ana-chan just wanted me to do her hair and Satoshi-kun always asked me for help with his homework." As she continued to list the things she did, with that beaming smile on her face, Kazuto once more could not help but notice the gleam in her eyes.

He had seen that gleam before, several years ago in SAO as well as in ALO whenever she spoke to or played with Yui. He smiled as he listened, but deep inside, Kazuto could not suppress a feeling of something close to grief.

However, he forced the feeling away, replacing it with his vow: _It won't be much longer before we have a child of our own. I'm sorry, Asuna. Just wait a little longer..._

When they arrived at her house, he kissed her goodnight before she left him.

He always hated that scene, watching her walk away from him, her long, chestnut hair swaying slightly from side to side.

_Not much longer._ He repeated in his mind. _It won't be much longer before I'll never have to see this scene again_.

* * *

It was exactly noon as Kazuto opened the door to Agil's cafe.

"Yo! Welcome, Kirito!" The shopkeeper, although obviously older than he used to be, was still as huge as ever, and the cheerful greeting did not match his appearance at all.

"Yo. How's it been going, Agil?" Kazuto wondered politely.

"It's been great. With winter coming around the corner, everyone in town's been stopping in for a hot chocolate or two." He finished with a loud laugh.

Kazuto glanced around the cafe but there was no sign of his red-headed companion. "Maybe the reason you're still a solo player is because you never show up on time?" Kazuto mumbled as he took a seat near a window. He ordered black coffee, and a few moments after it arrived, Klein strode into the cafe as if he had zero obligations to be there at noon today. As he exchanged greetings with Kazuto, the small talk gradually died away into the matter at hand.

"So," Kazuto stated in his business tone. "Why did you drag me out here today?"

"Ah, I see how it is." The redhead replied jeeringly. "I'm taking away from your precious alone time with Asuna-san, eh?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact you are." Kazuto shot back, a little bitter as he remembered the disappointment on Asuna's face when he turned her down for her lunch offer today. Normally, he would cancel his plans with Klein in .5 seconds flat to go out with Asuna, but this time he knew he would use his time wisely and make it up to her later at dinner. "Let's get on with this." Kazuto sighed, trying to keep the reluctance from trickling into his tone.

"Well, then let's get right to the point." Klein agreed, before leaning over the table a bit; Kazuto leaned back. "I've got a proposal for you."

"Not _that_ kind, I hope." Kazuto muttered.

"Of course not, you big moron!" Klein grumbled. "It's a proposal regarding your proposal."

"Stop playing word games and spit it out, man."

"I'm trying to!" After mumbling something like "impatient kid" under his breath, Klein sat back again and spoke in a more normal tone. "You've gotta do it on New Years."

"HAH?!" Kazuto could not control his voice as he shouted across the table. "_That_ soon? Why the hell should it be that soon?" He asked, obviously flustered.

"Because, think about it!" The older man went on casually as if he himself would be the one proposing. "It's a new start! A brand new beginning!"

Although Kazuto saw the meaning behind his words, he was not sure he _wanted_ a new start with Asuna. He was frankly quite happy with the way their relationship was right now; all he really wanted was a new house and a ring on his finger. Now that he was thinking more about it, Kazuto was beginning to have various doubts.

"I'm not even sure if she'll say yes..." he mumbled. Instantly, pain shot up his shin where Klein had kicked him. "Ow! You-!"

"Stop acting like a moron!" Klein growled. "You've been in love with her for nearly 10 years and she's crazy about you too, and you know it." His trademark grin then returned to his face. "You know she'll say yes, Kirito."

"But... But what if there are issues with her family or something?" Kazuto felt exasperated and hopeless as he imagined Asuna's parents demanding she stay away from him.

"Stop making crap up." Klein reasoned. "Didn't she _tell_ you, years ago that her parents were fine with you? Haven't you met them _yourself_ and gotten to know them pretty well? You've got this in the bag." He nodded. "And even if her parents _didn't_ approve of you, which they won't, do you _really_ think Asuna-san wouldn't say yes anyway? Do you think she'd say no to the only question she's ever wanted to hear and has been planning to say yes to for her entire life? Even if her family disapproved, she'd elope with you back to America. Even if the _world_ disapproved, she'd build a space ship and go off with you to another planet." Klein crossed his arms and stared directly at Kazuto. "You're being really unfair right now, Kirito. You're doubting Asuna-san's heart. You're doubting her undying loyalty and love for you, and you'd best stop it right now if you know what's good for you."

He sounded like he was about to deck Kazuto in the face, but Klein's tone and his words were precisely what brought Kazuto back into reality. _What the hell am I doing_? He sighed inwardly.

"Sorry. You're absolutely right. I don't know what I was thinking." He apologized.

"Don't sweat it." Klein grinned and uncrossed his arms, reaching across the table to pat Kazuto's shoulder. "It's just the pre-proposal jitters."

They continued to talk for about an hour on exactly how Kazuto should go about the process. When the shop had emptied out a bit, Agil came over to join the conversation.

"If you're going to do it at the shrine, make sure you're alone together." Klein reminded Kazuto. "But it's okay if there are some people a little far away watching. You kinda want to make a big deal out of it when she says yes, but you don't want people close enough to be ruining it by shouting about some loser proposing to some beauty over here."

Kazuto opened his mouth to meet the comment, but before he could manage, Agil cut in.

"The trickiest part will be the timing." The shopkeeper said. "You'll want to ask her right around midnight so that when the New Year rolls around, you'll have your fiancee standing before you instead of your girlfriend. But you've also gotta consider her reaction." He went on. "It could take her a minute to get herself in order, or she could reply immediately. That's kind of a risky spot."

"And you've gotta be sure not to do it while the bell is ringing when everybody's cheering." Klein added. "You've gotta make sure she actually hears you."

"I know _that_." Kazuto defended. "I'm not that stupid... But isn't it impossible to propose when it's quiet if I do it as the new year is happening? Surely everyone's going to be loud all around that time."

"That's the challenge!" Klein declared.

Kazuto returned the kick to the shin from earlier.

"This isn't a joke." He scoffed. "This is my _entire life_. In _one minute_!" Kazuto exclaimed.

"Don't worry about it too much." Agil said reassuringly. "It'll definitely work out."

"As long as you're man enough to get the words out." Klein agreed. "So, did you buy the ring?"

"...Yeah. A few weeks ago."

"Well let's see it!" Klein demanded excitedly.

Kazuto reached into his pocket and slowly withdrew a tiny velvet-blue box. There was a slight blush on his cheeks as he opened the lid to reveal the ring. It was a very simple ring; the band was sparkling silver and resembled the engagement ring from SAO. He had put a lot of thought into it and decided it would be best to purchase a ring like that rather than some flashy trinket. There was a single shimmering diamond piece at the center, and though it was very small, it was quite beautiful.

Agil nodded approvingly as Klein whistled.

"You're going to be fine with this, Kirito." Agil grinned.

"I can't wait for my wedding invitation!" Klein announced.

"Idiot! If you keep that up, you're not getting one at all!" Kazuto hissed as he closed the box and carefully slipped it back into his pocket.

"Good luck, Kirito." Klein punched his old friend on the shoulder. "I know you've got it in you."

* * *

That evening, when Kazuto was sitting across the table from Asuna on their dinner date, he felt the weight in his pocket as if it were a boulder.

"Kirito-kun? Are you sulking?" She wondered.

"Just a bit." He admitted. "Asuna's cooking is so much better than any restaurant..."

"Oh, you..." she giggled.

As he chatted with Asuna, asking her about her day and offering commentary periodically, he decided he liked the idea of counting down the remaining days until he would no longer refer to her as his girlfriend, but his fiancee.

* * *

**A/N: I've never written a proposal-type story before really, at least not like this, so please bear with me ;3 This chapter was more of a prologue for the rest of the story. The next chapter is twice as long and full of fluff! Please continue reading!**

**Please review!**


	2. Proposal

**A/N: Thank you all for your support thus far! I hope you enjoy this chapter much more than the previous one! Also, those of you who have read my other SAO fic, Waking Up To You will find this chapter's connections to it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online.**

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Chapter 2. Proposal

Kazuto burrowed his chin into his thick, gray, fleece scarf, trying to prevent the frigid air from assaulting his face.

Instantly, a comforting warmth seeped into his cheeks and he let out a blissful sigh, his breath floating up before him in a puff of white.

It was presently the evening of December 31st and to any other person, it was probably just another New Year's Eve. But to Kazuto Kirigaya, it was the biggest day of his entire life.

He had been jittery the whole week leading up to this night, despite his very best efforts to keep himself calm. He was certain he was being anything but subtle, yet Asuna did not seem to notice his change in behavior too much. In truth, he tried to keep his nervousness concealed around her more than anything else, and usually ended up pulling at his hair whenever he got home or when she was out of earshot. Even when he had opened Asuna's Christmas present to him, the handmade fleece scarf and gloves he presently wore, there had been a tightness in his chest, which he linked to the anxiety he carried in the tiny box in his pocket.

The worst part of Christmas for Kazuto, however, was not being able to afford anything more for her than a dinner date and spending the night out with her until early the next morning; his wallet was still a bit light because of the ring, and he had felt terrible for not getting her anything more.

However, when he had voiced his regrets, Asuna had smiled sweetly and pulled his head to her chest. "Silly. I don't need you to buy me things. Just you being here with me is enough."

In a way, he was eager for the new year, just so he could present her with his true gift, but most of him was actually a haphazardly-jumbled mess on the inside.

Currently, his left hand, gloved by Asuna's handicraft, was toying with the tiny box in his pocket, confirming for at least the 300th time that night that he actually had it, (after he had confirmed that much, he began to worry if the ring were inside or not, but of course, he was not going to check right now).

As his left hand clutched the box tightly, his right was under much less stress.

Asuna sauntered beside him, her left hand occupying his right, her white gloves with the fluff at the wrist perfectly contrasting the black gloves she had sewn for him. In fact, they somehow contrasted each other almost perfectly in attire this evening; Asuna wore white boots, her black leggings revealed beneath her snow-white trench coat, a light pink scarf rested around her neck, over her long, chestnut hair that fell down her back, whereas Kazuto wore all black and gray.

Kazuto caught himself staring at her profile, her pale cheeks flushed with the slightest pink from the cold, her bright smile putting the shimmering snowflakes covering the streetlight-bathed ground to shame. _I can't believe it. _His thoughts were racing faster now than ever before in his life. _In merely an hour, we're going to be..._ He did not finish his thoughts as a voice interrupted them.

"Neh, Kirito-kun, look over there!" Asuna pointed excitedly in front of them with her free hand. Kazuto nearly jumped when he heard her speak and he almost blurted out "w-what?!", but by some miracle managed to stop himself because he knew that would sound far too suspicious for her to not start asking questions.

When he finally calmed down, he followed her extended, gloved finger's path ahead of them and spotted a grove of trees near the shrine they were headed toward for their New Year's prayers. They were pine trees and the branches were covered in layers of blueish snowfall, however, unlike most of the other trees around them, these trees were decorated with bright silver lights.

At one time, such a sight would have made Kazuto sick, as it would force him to recall a memory he should have long forgotten, but never had quite managed to force from his mind.

The wintery scenery used to resurface memories of the time back in SAO when he had searched for the cure item to revive his companions.

The first time she had seen him this way, Asuna knew a part of him was aching for Sachi, his long-lost friend whose death he blamed himself for. It had stung her heart a little, for she knew Sachi held a certain place in Kazuto's heart that Asuna could never truly fill, but over time, she had come to accept that and had endeavored to help Kazuto overcome his grief. Now, he could look upon such a beautiful scene and see it for what it truly was, not what his old memories wanted it to be.

"That's beautiful." He murmured, standing still beside her for a brief moment and letting his eyes absorb the glittering, snow-covered scenery. Then, he squeezed her hand a bit harder. "Let's go to the shrine."

Together, they headed for the crowd of people surrounding the small house-like structure. They waited their turn and offered brief prayers before drawing their fortunes for the upcoming year. Asuna had seen Kazuto draw bad misfortunes before, so she was pleasantly surprised when he drew the same as her this time: a high blessing fortune.

"Wow." She smiled. "This is the first time this has happened, isn't it? That's great! I wonder what blessings are in store for us this year?"

At that moment, Kazuto began to panic, thinking she had somehow deduced what he planned to do in less than half an hour from now. But he managed to subdue his paranoia and offered a vague, "Y-Yeah, I wonder..." in return. He kept glancing at the large clock that overlooked the shrine entrance to make sure he would not be missing the midnight mark. He bit his tongue as a means to try and quiet his anxiety which had been on a gradual rise since the previous evening.

Apparently, he was not sufficient enough in hiding his emotions, as just then, Asuna peeked sideways at him, her eyes puzzled. "Kirito-kun? Are you feeling okay? You seem a little...jumpy." There was a faint trace of concern in her voice and he felt her fingers squeeze his tighter.

"Ah, y-yeah I'm fine. Come on, let's sit down for a while before the bell tolls." He suggested. She seemed like she wanted to say something more, but merely nodded and followed him.

Their boots crunched softly in the snow as they made their way to a bench that was near the shrine, but far enough away where they would not be disturbed. They cleared the snow away before sitting down side by side, their fingers still entwined.

For a long moment, neither spoke, and even Kazuto's anxieties seemed to fade away with the distant din of people chattering, the clinking of tossed coins into the shrine. Asuna let out a sigh, her breath billowing softly before her as she leaned sideways onto his shoulder.

"I can't believe another year has come and gone already." She murmured. "It'll be 2031 in just a few more minutes. I must have met you somewhere around 2022..." she trailed off for a moment, content with her fond memories. But when she resumed speaking, there was a sadness in her voice, along with a bittersweet smile. "I just feel it's all gone by too quickly. I'm 23 years old and I met you when I was 15. We spent a lot of time together even once we were freed from the Nerve Gear, but still it somehow doesn't feel like enough. I wish I'd met you even sooner, Kirito-kun. And I wish the years I've known you would go back and replay, slower this time. I want to make changes to some events while keeping others exactly as they were. I know it's just an impossible dream... but I want to be with you as long as possible..." She knew the words that came out of her mouth were not exactly something an adult such as herself should be saying, but it was a flaw of hers to allow her childish desires to overflow from time to time, no matter how unrealistic they were.

"I do, too." Kazuto agreed calmly. "I want to go back and spend even more time with you than I did. I want us to be together every second. When I think about it, there was so much wasted time where I could have made different choices, and I could have been with you longer, I could have saved you..." he pursed his lips shut then as he forced back the terrifying memories of Alfheim Online, taking a deep breath before he looked into her eyes and continued. "But I also don't want to change our pasts. I feel if we did, we'd somehow be a little different than we are right now, and I don't want that; you don't need to change anything because you're perfect, Asuna."

She blinked at him, holding back the tears forming in the corners of her eyes as she quickly nodded.

"Mm! Kirito-kun is perfect as you are now, as well!" The shimmering light returned to her eyes as the dull pain from lost hopes receded.

Kazuto could not help but imagine the look on her face in just a few more moments.

Even though the moment was quite literally, drawing closer by the second, he now felt a strange calmness within his chest. The panic and uncertainty melted away as he looked at her flawless face, her blissful smile, entirely unaware of what awaited her in just a few minutes.

Kazuto now felt assured and determined about what he intended to do. _This woman... I've proposed to her and made her my wife once before, and even though this is entirely different, in some ways, it's not. We were destined to be together, and we both know that. This was bound to happen since our first breaths, and I've never been more certain about anything before in my life. _

He recalled one time years ago when they had been on a picnic together, not long after Asuna's release from the hospital. It had been their first real date, and his first time tasting her real homemade sandwiches, and they had been having great fun. But when Kazuto noticed the small, sad looks she kept glancing downward with, he recognized the same habit she always had in SAO when she was troubled, and he asked what was the matter.

She then proceeded to tell him about the heavy weight she felt on the emptiness of her left ring finger. She felt the ring so fully in the games, but whenever she logged out, it was like a piece of her heart had been left behind.

Kazuto felt the same way and had ever since, for nearly 6 years now, and he was sure she still felt that empty weight tugging at her hand.

He had internally sworn at that moment that he would make her show him _that_ perfect smile at least one last time, in the real world. He still had never forgotten her face when he proposed in Aincrad, but he was determined to see that face once more, through Kazuto's eyes, not Kirito's.

If all went well, he would be seeing that smile very, very soon.

The trickiest part of the ordeal, as Klein and Agil had mentioned, would be timing his actions just as the new year began. Kazuto deduced that they would still be able to hear the bell from here, and the chanting celebrations of the other passerby, but it would hopefully not be loud enough to drown out his words or her answer.

"It's almost time." Asuna's voice interrupted his thoughts, and he immediately wondered if he had been found out until he rearranged his senses and recalled that she was not a mind reader, as far as he knew.

"Yeah." He said simply.

Up until now, the two of them had taken part in the ceremonial tradition of couples kissing at midnight, and he was still trying to figure out exactly how to dissuade her from that without giving too much away.

She covered his black glove with both of her white ones; his left hand was still shoved in his pocket, his fingers clasped around the small box. The panicked thought of whether the ring was actually inside or not again surfaced in his mind, but he desperately tore away from it and directed his full attention to the matter at hand.

He glanced sideways at the large clock, just barely visible past the snow-covered pine trees. There were two minutes left until midnight, and as the fact became more prominent, the crowd of people behind them began to grow rowdier.

Kazuto took a deep breath and let it out in a puff of air.

Reality crashed over him like a tumble of rocks then; _I'm...I'm really going to do this. This is real. This is happening. I'm about to propose to Asuna for real. After all __this time..._

His face finally began to betray his inner chaos of emotions and Asuna was no ignorant fool; he had hardly looked her in the eye at all that night, in fact, for the past few days, and his hand was shaking more than it should have been from the weak breeze that barely buffeted the falling snowflakes.

"Kirito-kun, what's wrong? You're definitely getting sick. You should have told me and we could have stayed inside tonight." Her voice was so deeply concerned that it soothed his worries, but he could not allow her to get such an idea.

"It's not that..." he trailed off, painfully aware that he still had over a full minute to kill. Her caramel irises narrowed a tiny bit, a slight anger sparking there, the anger of someone who wanted to protect someone else that denied the assistance.

"Then what is it? You've been acting really strange." She suddenly felt that he was beginning to remember his painful memories of Sachi and the Black Cats. Her eyes flickered quickly toward the grove of pine trees and then back at his face and Kazuto immediately knew what she was thinking.

"No, it's not that, Asuna-" he tried to explain himself without sounding too unreliable.

He thought for sure that she would start to apologize for some reason or another, and was prepared to set things straight, but what she did next left him fairly surprised.

Asuna released his hand from both of hers as she leaned over and embraced him, wrapping her arms around his back and pulling him to her.

Although they often hugged on a daily basis when seeing one another off, they rarely engaged in this kind of embrace. It reminded him of the tender moments they had spent back in their home on the 22nd floor of Aincrad, and of the moment he had first met her in that hospital, trembling and sobbing on that bed.

But right now, she did not say anything. She always knew what to say and when to say it, but she could also sense when there was nothing more necessary than simple contact and silence.

Kazuto retracted his left hand from his pocket and returned the embrace, closing his eyes and resting his chin on her shoulder. He buried his nose in her silky, chestnut hair and took in her enticing, nostalgic fragrance that seemed to bring tears welling up behind his eyelids. It was almost as if she knew he was about to do something groundbreaking, that would change both of their lives forever, and she was consoling him, calming him down with her gentle warmth and telling him it was going to be okay so that he may continue with a clear conscious.

He knew the time had almost arrived, but he allowed time to freeze for a few seconds as he focused on her, in his arms, right now.

Through the thick fabrics of their coats, scarves, and gloves, there was an even greater warmth emitting between them, a softness like the comfort of a childhood bed. Her slow, steady heartbeat quelled his rapid one, and he took deep breaths until they matched. Asuna rubbed her hands up and down his back as she shared her warmth with him, and Kazuto knew he easily could have been lulled into a deep slumber at that moment.

However, the moment he had been waiting for his entire life had arrived at last.

The crowd began the countdown a little ways off, and he regrettably but confidently pushed Asuna away from him. "Asuna." He whispered in a voice almost hoarse with emotion. "I'm sorry we couldn't kiss this New Year's; but there's just something else I've got to do."

She made a small sound of confusion as they moved apart from one another, but she somehow got the idea that she should not say anything right now as she watched him.

There was a determination in his eyes that she recognized, not of a soldier going into war, but of a different kind of fighter. There was the seriousness she had seen in his eyes only once before, the unshaken certainty that he had never been more concretely sure of something ever before in his life.

She felt her mouth open slightly as a small sound escaped, but aside from that, she was completely speechless as she gazed at him. She was vaguely aware of the voices counting down, echoing in the back of her mind, but her full attention was now focused on the man in front of her.

She wanted to speak his name questioningly, as if she was unsure of what was happening, but deep down, her heart already seemed to know the answer.

He grasped both of her hands in his own and slowly removed all four gloves, folding them into his right pocket. But the biting cold that hit their skin that moment did not cause either one to flinch in the slightest.

He then took both of her hands in his and got to his feet, gingerly pulling her up beside him. Void of speech, she followed him three, four steps away from the bench until they stood before a large pine tree, glittering with freshly-fallen snow and shining with tiny lights.

They stood still for a long moment as the countdown reached the single digits, and Asuna suddenly felt she could not breathe. Her chest became tight, her head began to spin, and her heart began to pound harder than ever before in her lifetime. She was not sure if she was trembling or not, but she very well may have been; the only thing she could be certain about was the fact that her eyes were glued to his. The determination she saw reflected in those clear, black irises was enough to make her realize that she was in reality right now, and she desperately fought to control her emotions and focus exclusively on the man before her.

Kazuto squeezed both of her bare hands in his for a brief second as he spoke, his voice steady, strong, and clear.

"Asuna." Hearing her name caused her to finally register that this was indeed reality, and she blinked once as she continued to listen to him, still lost in his eyes. "We've been through a lot together, and I still remember every second I've spent with you thus far as vividly as if it were happening right now. I remember every word you've ever said to me, every expression you've ever shown me, every time you've cried and laughed. We've spent a lot of time together, and we've said many things to each other, but with what I am saying now, I intend to change all of that forever, and forge a new path for our future time together for the rest of our lives."

Her heart pounded faster and tears spilled from her eyes as she tried to subdue her sobs; she knew that he had never been more certain of anything else in his life than what he was doing right now, but there was still something she needed to do to prove to him that she felt the exact same way.

The bell rang in the distance in unison with Kazuto's motion as he bent down onto his right knee and retrieved a small box from his pocket. He opened it to reveal a small ring with a single diamond that glittered like the ice all around them.

Asuna was sure she had never seen anything so wonderful before in all her life, aside from, of course, Kazuto himself.

At that moment, that perfect smile flashed across her lips, and he engraved the image into his mind and his heart for all eternity.

As he presented her the box, tears dripped off his cheeks as he stared up into her eyes. His voice cracked a little, but it was a sincere and strong voice with which he asked the question:

"Asuna... Yuuki Asuna... will you marry me?"

The sound of the bell faded as it completed the marking of the New Year.

Asuna was trembling violently as she gazed down at his tear-stained face, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of tears, determination, and love, the most love he had ever had to offer in his entire life, all in this moment, for only her.

Asuna could no longer hold herself back as she broke out into tears, constantly wiping her sleeves across her face as she tried to gaze at him through her wavering vision. She wanted to give her answer, but her voice was far too choked by sobs and she could hardly breathe.

But she summoned her own determination to match his, still patiently awaiting her reply.

He gazed up at her with a smile still on his face, entranced by her flawless beauty as she glowed, not from the snowfall nor the moonlight, but with a transient radiance of her very own.

She forced the tears and sobs to stop just long enough for her answer to be made perfectly clear:

"_Yes_..." she whispered. "Yes. I will marry you, Kazuto-kun. I will marry you a million times over. Yes, yes, yes!" Her tears bursted forward again as if a barrier had released an ocean. She collapsed to the ground and embraced him tightly, tighter than she ever had before and maybe ever would, throwing her arms around him with a fervency she had been concealing all those years.

Kazuto caught her warmly and gladly returned the embrace with just as much passion, hugging her back so tightly he nearly lost grip of the box.

Asuna continued to weep uncontrollably as her body shook with sobs, her face buried in his shoulder as she wailed like a child. "I...I've waited... so long for this... Kazuto-kun... I've waited... all this time..." she managed to gasp the words between fits of sobbing.

Kazuto had also burst into the happiest tears he had ever shed as he nestled his face into her neck.

"Me too..." he choked out. "I've been waiting for so long... to say this to you... and to hear you say those words in response..." He stroked her hair with his free hand as she continued to cry with no end in sight. "I'm sorry you had to wait for so long..." he murmured.

"N-No..." she gasped. "No, it's okay... because... right now... I can be with Kazuto-kun... like this... it's... so warm..." she stammered. "I love the sound of it... 'Kirigaya Asuna'..." He could hear the smile in her voice, that perfect smile.

The engaged couple remained the way they were for several moments longer, and the New Year was well on its way in by the time they both managed to stop their tears long enough to part. A crowd had gathered a little ways off upon witnessing the scene and were presently murmuring softly.

As Kazuto and Asuna parted the distance between them, he noticed her eyes were weary from crying and her cheeks were soaked, but the bright, pure smile on her lips was still the most perfect image he had ever hoped to see.

Kazuto wiped his own tears away as he brought the small ring back into view. He removed it from the box and gently took Asuna's trembling left hand. Their eyes focused on the breathtaking diamond as he gingerly slid it onto her finger- a perfect fit.

There was only a brief heartbeat's worth of time in between when the ring was in place to when she had thrown herself into his arms, weeping, all over again.

The crowd cheered and offered congratulations as Kazuto hugged Asuna back, and he never intended to let go again; she was his now, and he was only hers, for the rest of eternity.

* * *

**A/N: Writing this chapter was probably one of the toughest things I've ever composed, just because I was trying so hard to give such an important scene between my two favorite characters the atmosphere it deserved. Thank you for reading thus far, and I do hope you thought well of it, and will continue on to the final chapter!**

**Please review!**


	3. Miracle

**Again, thank you all so much for reading this far! This is the final chapter that starts as mostly flashbacks before leading up to the present. It will take you on a bit of an emotional ride, but I pray you read through to the end, regardless.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online.**

* * *

Chapter 3. Miracle

The wedding was held in the year 2031, in the springtime.

The church was an astounding cathedral with intricate glass paintings and chandeliers; every seat had been filled, and many guests had resorted to standing.

The cake had been an over-extravagant pastry that Asuna's parents had insisted upon, and though their daughter was not normally one to flaunt her family's wealth, Kazuto had persuaded her that it would be alright, just this one time.

Family members they probably had forgotten they had attended the event, as did the eager companions the bride and groom had spent much of their time with in the past. Kazuto recalled greeting all of them: Agil, Klein, Silica, Sinon, Lisbeth, along with many other online friends who had gone to extended lengths in order to make the ceremony. Suguha had run around to speak to probably every person present, flitting from seat to seat like a hyperactive chipmunk.

He could still recall every second of that day exactly and remembered everything down to the tiniest details.

He remembered he had been wearing a tailored, black suit with a white tie, and he also remembered that he had been trembling like a madman as he waited at the altar.

He remembered when the entire room turned their heads in unison as the silhouette of an angel appeared from the back of the room, led by a quietly beaming father.

Kazuto had always known Asuna was beautiful. She was beautiful in anything and everything she did and in anything and everything she wore. She was the definition of beauty. Her caring disposition put saints to shame, her beaming smile easily overtook the sun, and even her tears were liquid crystals of the purest emotions, meant to heal the ground she walked on and make it easier for those behind her. She was a blessed angel incapable of human flaws, sent by the heavens to make this twisted world a little brighter, a little cleaner.

Kazuto knew all of those things to be true, at least to him.

At that moment, when he had locked his gaze upon her, clad all in the purest white, he was almost certain his entire life was nothing but a dream. Surely she was simply too good to be true?

A universal silence filled the room as she walked daintily beside her father, her white shoes tapping the only gentle sound as the world stopped and stared, utterly dumbfounded.

Kazuto felt his knees start to buckle and he hastily straightened himself, but did not allow his eyes to stray from Asuna; it was frustrating to sacrifice even the fraction of a second it took him to blink. Like many of the guests, he let his mouth hang open slightly as he took in her appearance:

Her dress was long and flowing, ruffles cascading down from her hips in a breathtaking pattern of waves and ruffles. The top half worked exquisitely to show off her petite, slim figure. Her slender arms were covered to the elbows in long, white gloves, her fingers folded graciously over a bouquet of pink roses. Her glistening chestnut hair was tied in a loose bun that still allowed some of her silky tresses to escape and pool over her shoulders. A diaphanous veil covered her head, but did nothing to shield her from the admiring stares of every person in the room. Her face was angled slightly downward as she gazed at the scarlet carpet she walked on.

Only when she reached the steps to the altair did she halt for a brief moment; her father stepped back, leaving her as the sole figure there.

Asuna slowly lifted her face, raising her shimmering caramel irises to meet directly with Kazuto's. He watched her, very nearly on the verge of tears, as she walked up to stand before him.

As the priest began to read, Kazuto felt lightheaded. He remembered having to repeatedly remind himself that he was actually being married to the love of his life at that moment. He remembered making absolutely certain that his voice rang out loud and clearly as he read his vows, and Asuna, too read hers with feeling and certainty.

And then, the question he had heard so many times before being asked at such a scene, during movies, on TV shows, in books...

Kazuto finally heard the words he would only get to hear once in his life as they escaped the priest's mouth. "Do you, Kirigaya Kazuto-san, take Yuuki Asuna-san to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, in sickness and in health, keeping only unto her for as long as you both shall live?"

Kazuto forced the tremble out of his voice as he stared into Asuna's eyes and replied. "I do."

When the same question had been posed to Asuna, she had given the exact same response, with her eyes glittering, full of the deepest love, the perfect smile she showed becoming more and more familiar.

The rest of the world disappeared as they were permitted to kiss.

Asuna took that single step forward, closing the distance between herself and her new husband. Kazuto wrapped his arms around her waist as she embraced his shoulders, their lips pressing together more strongly and with more emotion than ever before.

Cheers erupted as every cheek became wet with tears, not excluding the bride and grooms'.

The warmth of that moment exceeded all others before it, and seemed to last an eternity.

He still vividly remembered how she had gracefully tossed the bouquet, pink flower petals showering down until, as fate would have it, they landed in the hands of none other than Lisbeth.

He remembered how much he had cried, how much Asuna had cried.

He remembered the wonderful reception and all the people he spoken with afterward.

He remembered how he loved the feeling of being able to take Asuna back with him that night to their very own house. He had selected it especially because of the small forest beside it and a clear lake not too far off, as it resurfaced fond memories of their first home together on Aincrad's 22nd floor. It was a fair distance away from where they used to reside, but not too far.

He remembered the tenderness of their first night alone together as husband and wife, the comfort of being inseparable by the warmth that bound them together.

He remembered how, for their honeymoon, he had taken her back to America with him for two weeks. They had seen so many brilliant sights, partaken in various entertaining events, and indulged in countless diverse dinners.

He remembered coming back to Japan with her, back to their house, as the summer sun shined almost as brightly and strongly as their love.

He remembered the joy of waking up beside her every morning, of helping her prepare breakfast whenever he could, of kissing her goodbye as he left for work.

He remembered the hassled feeling of being at work, but would always perk up upon remembering that Asuna would be waiting for him at home that evening. The daycare school where she worked allowed her to come home at 3PM, only an hour before Kazuto, therefore he went through each day, savoring the feeling of eagerness to see her again.

Upon arriving home, he would hardly have gotten to take off his shoes before his wife, usually dressed in a blouse, skirt, and apron, came running up to him, always offering a gentle embrace. She would always say, "Welcome home" before proceeding to ask him about his day, while sharing tidbits of her own. She would usher him to relax for a while as she made dinner, and often times he did just that, but sometimes he insisted on helping her prepare the meal, and some nights he would just take her out to eat as a surprise.

Then, they would watch TV together as they got ready for bed, and would often just lay in silence and darkness, curled in each other's arms until they feel asleep together.

He remembered the exquisite apple, cherry, and pumpkin pies she baked in the autumn, as well as the delicious meats she prepared for Christmas and New Year's.

It was around February of 2032 when Kazuto began to notice the familiar longing in her eyes as she would speak to him about the children she took care of at the daycare school. And he remembered the small room in the house that had remained vacant since it's purchase the year before, and he remembered how he had saved up a lot of money from his jobs in the past as well as his present one.

Therefore, on that Valentine's Day, Kazuto told Asuna the words she so longed to hear, and he had been waiting for so long to say.

"Asuna," he said after sitting her down on the couch beside him. "I love you more than anything, and I always have, but now... I think it's time to make something of our love." He covered her hands with his, stroking his thumb over the ring on her left finger.

"K...Kazuto-kun... do... do you..." she could not continue as tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Yes." He nodded with a small grin. "Asuna, let's have a baby."

He remembered how she gave that perfect smile for the fourth time in her life before she shakily lifted her arms up. She was already sobbing before she could even pull him in, so he slid closer to her and held her for a long while.

He remembered the warmth of that night.

He remembered the warm, spring sunlight that marked their wedding anniversary.

And he remembered just a few weeks after that when he had arrived home from work and for the first time, had managed to take off his shoes completely before Asuna stepped up to him. He remembered how her hand shook as she took his and led him over to the couch without a word.

He remembered the anxiety and clash of emotions pulsing off of her as she squeezed his hands once they were seated.

He remembered the feelings of fear he felt for what he might hear, as well as the soothing shock as those fears were washed away when her trembling voice spoke in a whisper.

"Kazuto-kun..." she whispered, finally lifting her head and shifting her gaze from their hands to his eyes. "Kazuto-kun..." tears were running down her face again. "Kazuto-kun... we did it..." she began to sob uncontrollably. He remembered how the words she spoke next took his entire world and changed it forever. "I'm pregnant." She whispered gleefully, burying her face in his chest.

He remembered how he had held her again, tighter than ever before, as he too cried over her shoulder with a smile on his shaking lips.

He remembered the kisses they shared that evening, gentle and passionate, but all mixed with tears of sheer love and joy.

He remembered how, many nights after that one, he would sit on the floor as she sat on the couch, how he would wrap his arms around her slim waist and press his ear against her stomach.

He remembered hearing the very first sounds of his baby, and he remembered Asuna's amused giggles as the baby hiccuped.

From then on, every day at work was another reason to come home and embrace his beautiful wife, and every night was one that looked forward to a new morning to embrace her again.

All of that had happened only several months ago, but Kazuto still fondly recalled it almost every night now.

It was presently near the end of September the same year, and Kazuto was helping Asuna lie down in bed. She was 7 and a half months pregnant, and her plump belly was rounder than ever. He still often teased her about it, to which she would usually pout before giggling.

Her due date was not until late October, but Kazuto was considering taking a break from work for a little while soon. Every day he went in, he was notably more and more jittery with a nervous excitement and an overall eagerness to return home to Asuna. Their most recent visit to the doctor, Kazuto's old companion formerly known as Nurse Aki, had assured the couple that everything was fine with the baby and that it was due in several weeks. It was the happiest and yet most nerve-wracking time in Kazuto's life.

"You don't have to dote on me so much..." Asuna pouted as he presently helped her lie down on her back.

"Of course I do." He scolded playfully as he fluffed her pillow. "What kind of a husband would I be if I _didn't_ dote on my beautiful wife less than a month before our first child was born?" Although he was now 24 years old, and Asuna 25, it felt as if they were still teenagers sometimes. He reached down and gently ran his fingers through her hair, a habit he had never let go of, and she sighed happily and closed her eyes.

As Kazuto got into bed beside her and turned off the light, he kissed her goodnight before settling down and burying his face in his pillow, his right palm firmly holding her left as she too drifted off into slumber.

* * *

Several mornings later, Kazuto was at work, busily working his way around some computer program errors.

He usually wore more formal attire than the black pants and gray sweater he wore today, but he had been unable to think such troublesome things through this morning.

The previous evening, after his return home from work, Asuna had absolutely no appetite, which had made him far too concerned to eat much of his own meal. Evidently, she had not eaten all day either, whereas up until that point, she had had a fairly constant appetite, with hardly any unusual cravings.

Therefore, he had felt that it was almost... too easy. Her pregnancy had gone too smoothly thus far; no issues whatsoever, no major changes in Asuna's behavior, and no arguments or spats between them over any matter, trivial or massive.

Kazuto had gotten the looming premonition that it was almost too good to be true, and last night, his fears had risen even higher.

Asuna had broken out into a cold sweat as she suffered from sharp pains, and Kazuto immediately rushed her to the hospital; he knew it was still weeks too early for the baby to arrive and the panic he had experienced at that time would have been powerful enough to shatter a mountain.

Once Asuna had been put into her room and examined, Doctor Aki informed the panicked husband that it had only been a bout of false contractions. Kazuto had insisted that Asuna stay the night, partially in hopes that Doctor Aki would disagree and say, "No, she's fine, she can come home tonight." However, to his despair, the woman who had seen him through some of his most terrifying days in GGO ended up agreeing with him that Asuna should stay the night "just to be safe".

Although she had said it with a small smile, there was something about the way she said it that made him suspect she was hiding some bit of information she did not want to share with him.

Kazuto had stayed in Asuna's room until 10PM, asking her repeatedly if she was feeling alright or if she needed anything, to which Asuna replied each time, "I'm fine, Kazuto-kun. I'm fine." She always said it with a bright smile that betrayed her exhaustion, and though seeing her that way made him feel a little more relieved, he still sensed there was something amiss that she was unwilling to tell him.

When he was forced to leave that night, he insisted to the nurses that he should stay, but for reasons unknown to him, they still sent him away.

He kissed Asuna for a long moment before parting with her, promising to rush back to her tomorrow. "No, I'll be fine. You should go to work tomorrow. I'll be here until your day is over and then, if Aki-sensei says it's okay, you can drive me home then." There was a calming reassurance in her slightly tired eyes, and Kazuto could do nothing but comply.

He had slowly driven home and gotten straight into bed, where he spent his first night as a married man alone and cold. He hardly slept that night and kept tossing over, mumbling her name only to open his eyes and find that she was not there beside him. It was the most horrible feeling he had ever experienced. Even worse than when her crazed tormentor Sugou had stabbed him in the arm and pinned him to the frozen ground so many years ago.

It was the feeling of missing that person he had sworn to stay beside forever, and even though the hospital was only a 10 minute drive away, it felt like 10 universes that night.

He had woken up, wishing it had all been a bad dream, but he still found no warmth beside him, not as he ate a flavorless breakfast, not as he sifted through his clothes and sluggishly got dressed, and perhaps worst of all, not when he put on his shoes and walked out the door.

It was presently noon as he sat at his desk, fiddling with computer wires, and although he felt the same strong nervousness he had been feeling for the past month, unlike the previous days, this time he did not show it. His coworkers knew better than to ask him about what had happened, as they could infer it must have been something about his wonderful wife whom he always liked to boast about.

That day was a cold one, and he felt that the unusually chilled temperature for the last day of September was a harbinger of some sort.

An hour later, his fears proved true as his boss suddenly called his name and rushed up to Kazuto's desk.

"Kirigaya-san." The man with the appearance of a plump lawyer addressed him. "We just got a call from the hospital." He was obviously fighting to control his voice. "You need to go see your wife right away."

Before the man had even finished speaking, Kazuto was on his feet, as if he had been expecting and waiting for the signal to rush out. Taking nothing but his car keys with him, he ran out of the office faster than he had ever run before.

* * *

Her hospital room was crowded with two nurses and another doctor besides Aki.

The four of them were bustling around the bed and mumbling to each other, often harshly.

"Asuna!" Kazuto came to a halt in the doorway as he stared inside at the borderline chaotic scene. Only Doctor Aki noticed him enter.

"Ah, Kazuto-san is here! Please let him through!" She ordered the others. He quickly darted over to the bed and nearly froze when he saw his beloved wife's face.

She was drenched in sweat and her chest was heaving violently, her body trembling. Her eyes only opened slightly when he reached her side and she fought desperately to get enough air to speak.

"K-Kah...zu...t...nngh..." she could not even manage to say his name before her breath hitched. Her body shuddered violently and she let out a silent scream of agony.

"Asuna!" He clasped his hands around hers, which were balled into tight fists as she gripped the bed sheets, her knuckles alabaster and drained of blood. "Asuna! What's wrong?!" He shouted, addressing the doctors, but with his eyes still fixed on his wife.

"We're not sure." Aki answered glumly.

"What?!" A mixture of fury and utter panic racked his voice. "What do you _mean _you're not sure?! You're the doctors, aren't you?" He felt the hysterics rising as he continued to look at Asuna, her condition worsening by the second.

"Kazuto-san," Aki said more quietly. "Her water broke just a few hours ago. It's far too early..." she sounded baffled and concerned, as if she could not explain such a crisis after Asuna had had such a healthy pregnancy.

Upon hearing her words, Kazuto squeezed Asuna's hands harder, pretending he had not heard such an outlandish statement. But as he looked down at Asuna, fighting the toughest battle of her life, one of which the difficulty and pressure he could not ever imagine, Kazuto could not deny that something had gone terribly wrong.

"What... are you saying...?" he muttered, his gaze still locked on his wife's face.

There was a brief moment of silence as he waited for a response. He heard a sigh ridden with indecision as Aki spoke again.

"Kazuto-san, we may need to perform a Cesarian section." She said in a thick voice. "But even then, I cannot guarantee the lives of either your child or your wife."

The world stopped.

At that second, he could physically feel the entire universe shift around him, swaying in and out of balance as it all teetered precariously on the borderline of reality, threatening to shatter at any moment.

He wanted to pretend he had never heard those words, but now that they had been spoken, he could not stop repeating them in his mind.

He wanted to go back in time.

He wanted to change whatever it was that had caused this.

He wanted to go back and make it so that he had never met Asuna, never gotten saved by her from Kayaba Akihiko, never gotten to fall in love with her, and never gotten her into such a situation.

There was a long moment as he felt his world begin to fall apart piece by piece, his eyes staring blankly down at the bed sheets as tears begged to fall but never managed to.

But then, just as always whenever he felt hopeless, a warm hand covered his gently.

He refocused his eyes and looked into Asuna's, shimmering with the same perseverance and love he had fallen in love with so many, many years ago. And although her breath was trembling and a searing pain ached throughout her body, her voice still managed to sound clearly.

"Don't... listen to them... Kazuto-kun..." she whispered, her voice breaking. "I... am determined to bring... our very first child... into this world... Our very first child... of _this_ world..." she murmured, her thoughts doing the same as his as fond memories of Yui flashed through their minds.

"Asuna..." his voice was nothing more than a wisp of air, so he tried again. "Asuna..." he could not continue, and he leaned over and buried his face in her chest, her breath momentarily regained by some unseen blessing.

"I... will do it..." she promised. "If I'm with you... I can do anything..." the words rang a familiar echo in his mind as Kazuto forced the tears from his eyes, taking in her nostalgic scent, calming, even now.

"I know... you can do it." He sniffed. "But I'm sorry. There's still a decision I have to make." He kissed her cheek before straightening up, his hands still holding hers, and he faced the medial personnel.

"Aki-sensei." His voice was firmer now, more certain. "If you must go through with the Cesarian section, please do so. However..." he took a deep breath, tightening his grip on Asuna's hand. "However... if the situation arises where you must save either the baby or Asuna, please... save my wife." He requested.

It was undoubtedly the most painful thing he had ever had to say, and he heard Asuna make a sound of protest from beside him.

Aki stared into his eyes a long moment before she nodded once.

"H-Hold on..." Asuna cut in, panting heavily. "It's my body... I... I need to deliver this baby..." she huffed, her gaze flickering between Aki and Kazuto. "I... promised... that I would... no matter what..."

"Asuna." Kazuto's voice was gentle yet stern as he turned his full attention back to her. Tears were already streaming down her face, from all kinds of pain, and his tears began to fall one by one as he spoke. "You are... my most _precious_, _precious_ treasure. You are my everything. I would... never forgive myself if I let you go on ahead of me. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I would end up being... a horrible father to this child... and if I lose the both of you, I'll definitely commit suicide."

The doctors and nurses all gasped as the words escaped his lips, but he ignored them and went on, his voice a little softer. "I promised to stay by your side forever, and you promised me the same thing. I'm not about to let you break that promise, nor break it myself. This is the hardest decision I will ever have to make in my life, Asuna. But I... I can't lose you... I just _can't_..." his voice melted into the air as sobs choked his throat.

Asuna shook her head from side to side slowly.

"No... no... Kazuto-kun... I..." she wheezed.

"_Asuna_."

When he said her name that time, her eyes widened. Then, more tears overflowed as she closed her eyes, bowed her head, and sobbed. Her hand squeezed his again, and at that moment he knew that she understood; she would do the same thing if he were the one who might leave her.

A second of eerie calmness swept over the room, and Kazuto somehow noticed with vague shock that it was flurrying outside. _Snowing? At such a time of year?_ _How..?._ But the disbelief of the almost impossibly abnormal weather then melted into a distant memory. _Snow...__ as she lay in the hospital bed... as I held her hand... it's just like the first time I met her..._

His reminiscences were abruptly cut off as a sudden scream reached his ears.

Asuna, who had been relatively still for the past few moments, had jerked forward, her eyes flying open as she gasped painfully. Her body began to shudder and convulse and the doctors began moving around, fetching supplies, and barking orders in constrained voices.

Kazuto only looked at his wife, his beautiful wife who, even now was giving her best, this time for the sake of their baby.

After several agonizing moments, the contractions became more and more severe, and it was torturous for Kazuto to watch Asuna's petite form being pushed to the limits as she continued to fight for breath. "Isn't there anything else you can do for her?" He asked Aki. The doctor briefly looked up at him and replied.

"We've given her all the painkillers and medication we could. Now it's up to Asuna-san." Kazuto must have visibly shown his despair, for Aki offered a quick smirk. "Don't worry. Women are far stronger than men. Especially your wife."

Kazuto allowed a small smirk of his own to form on his lips. "Yeah." He agreed, turning back to Asuna. "That couldn't be more true..." He reached up with one hand to caress her cheek, tucking a lock of slightly-frazzled chestnut hair behind her ear. Upon feeling his touch, Asuna seemed to calm down, just a bit, as she got her breath back. She then inhaled deeply as if to announce her preparation for what lie ahead.

"This is only the beginning..." she murmured, probably softly enough that only he could hear.

"Yeah." He nodded with a tiny smile, kissing her cheek again. "But I know you can do it. I'm right here beside you, my love."

Kazuto stood beside the hospital bed as Asuna battled the contractions for over twenty, painstaking minutes. As each moment went by, Kazuto's fear increased more and more, and naturally, Asuna was beginning to tire quickly. But her eyes remained alight with the determination he recognized from so many past events. Yet this time, it was much more... terrifying.

"You see, Kazuto-san?" Aki had interjected. "That is the love of a mother for her child."

Kazuto had to admit he had never seen Asuna in such a way. Beneath the physical shudders, there was a calmness, a protective ferocity and passion that challenged all of fate's cruelest hands to be thrown down before her, because she knew she could shred them all apart.

After forty five more minutes, Asuna had significantly weakened, but still kept herself in the battle. Kazuto had begun to notice the extremely troubled looks of the doctors and nurses, and only a few moments later, a Cesarian section was ordered.

Kazuto grimaced as he continued to look down at his wife. Considerably enervated, she still managed to keep the fire ignited within her eyes, whereas Kazuto knew he would probably have given up hours ago.

From then on, he could only watch that light get fainter and fainter.

He longed to close his eyes and drown out her screams when the time finally, finally arrived, but he could not manage to look away from her. There was something deep within, no matter how fervently he tried to deny it, that told him this very well may be the last time he ever saw his beautiful wife, and he could not look away.

The room was filled with all sorts of noises, but all he could hear was a terrifying silence as he watched Asuna begin to wither, like a flower being repeatedly blanketed in unforgiving, freezing snow. Her breathing became feeble and her eyelids fluttered shut before Kazuto desperately called out to her.

"Asuna!" His voice was burdened with apprehension and panic. "You can't give up... You're almost there..." He saw her take a long, shuddering breath before she reopened her eyes to gaze up at him.

"I know... I won't give up... I'm just a little tired..." she wheezed, closing her eyes once more. Kazuto's heart trembled as he tried to call out to her again, but nothing sounded. "I'm fine." Her sweet voice soothed, and after a few more seconds she opened her eyes again and relief crashed over him. "I'm not going anywhere. I won't break our promise..." she panted.

Kazuto nodded and saw the small flicker of light in her eyes still struggling, but clearly on the verge of being extinguished, not by her own will, but simply from the inability to last any longer.

Kazuto was no fool, but as much as he wanted to deny it, he knew that if something was not done soon, he was going to lose her.

Fifteen more torturous minutes passed before Asuna closed her eyes again with a sigh.

She did not make any other sound, and her hand went limp in his.

"Asuna... oy, Asuna...!" His voice rose in hysterics as he saw her tense body relax, stop trembling, and become still. "Asuna!" He called again, but she did not open her eyes. As Kazuto felt hot tears spilling from his eyes, his legs began to tremble as his blood ran cold.

"Kazuto-san." Aki's voice caused him to slowly turn his body toward her, his hand still clasped around Asuna's. He just seemed to realize that the doctor and her coworkers were still in the room, and had been going through various processes up until this point.

She now cradled a pink blanket in her arms, and Kazuto stared at the light color with a blank mind.

The doctor's expression was taut as she spoke only two more words: "I'm sorry..."

He felt the world as it slipped off the edge into oblivion.

He heard the crashing all around him, saw the destruction in his mind, tasted the sour nothingness of the despair that swallowed him.

He could not form any words as his knees buckled and he collapsed to the floor, still holding his wife's small, pale hand.

The nurses and the other doctor stepped away as Aki came forward.

"We did everything we could. But we can at least let her rest with her mother."

As she placed the pink bundle between Kazuto and Asuna, he managed a single, strangled word,

"_Her..._?" he repeated, his entire body shaking as the tears finally poured down his cheeks. He looked at the pink blanket and saw a tiny shape within, much smaller than it should have been. Fuzzy black hair peeked out from the folds of the fabric, but ultimately, the shape was unmoving.

Tears continued to stream down his face as his mind began to process what had happened. _My... my... __daughter...? _

Kazuto blinked more tears from his eyes until he could no longer bear the agony that seemed to crush his very soul. He cried out as he buried his face in the mattress, his arms shaking violently as his left gently encompassed his silent daughter and his right held his quiet wife's hand.

He did not know what was happening anymore, nor did he care.

He had lost everything precious and sacred to him.

He had no more reason to live.

His soul had no more reason to exist.

He continued to cry into the mattress uncontrollably, for how long, he did not know, until he felt the faintest touch on his hair, like a feather brushing past him. It was a familiar warmth, and a nostalgic scent bathed over him. _Asuna...? _He blinked his watery eyes up and saw her image, transparent and illuminated as she smiled sweetly down at him. _Have you come for me, my love? Wait for me. I'll go with you. Then we can be together forever, with out daughter, too..._

"Kazuto-kun..." he sighed as he heard her voice filling his ears and he allowed all strength to pour from his body as he continued to gaze lovingly at her image. The warmth encompassed him completely as she ran her delicate fingers through his hair.

A moment later, her transparent image overlapped and was replaced by another, warmer one.

It took him a long amount of seconds to realize that he was still alive, and that Asuna was calling out to him, not from the heavens, but from right beside him.

Her chestnut eyes were laden with exhaustion, her face drenched in dried sweat, her chest heaving softly. But there was a tiny smile on her face as she gazed down at him, gingerly curling her fingers through his hair, just as she had done so many times before.

"Ah..." his voice hitched and he tried again. "A...Asuna...?"

She smiled upon hearing him say her name and gave a small nod. He felt her other hand, still in his, squeeze his fingers a little, as proof that he was not dreaming.

There was an uncertain relief that crept over him as he looked up at her beautiful face, still glistening with the trails of countless tears.

Something within him that he had previously thought dead was resurrected then.

The corners of his lips curled into the beginnings of a smile, until he remembered the pink blanket before him.

"Asuna..." he whispered, defeated, as he lowered his gaze.

He was unimaginably relieved that Asuna had survived; his entire reason for existing had returned the second she had said his name. There was no doubt in his mind that if she had opened her eyes again after everything she had just been through, there was no way she was going to leave him anytime soon, and truthfully, he would not allow it anyway. Her eyes smiled back at him, confirming his hopes that she was going to be alright, that she was going to keep her promise and stay beside him until the end of their days, and beyond. In fact, he realized he should have known that she never intended to break her promise, even for a fraction of a second.

He was confused, initially on how she could still be smiling right now; of course she was happy to be alive and to be with him, but it soon became clear to him that she had fallen unconscious moments ago and must have amnesia of the events that had transpired for the past several hours up until this point.

Unable to speak, he directed his gaze to hers and then to the pink blanket, and Asuna's eyes steadily followed.

He heard her suck in a short, pained breath, but he could not bear to look at her face.

Slowly, as if on the verge of being petrified, Asuna tentatively extended her arm around the side of the baby opposite Kazuto's.

Her irises were wide with horror and grief as tears formed at the corners of her eyes. He had only seen that look on her face once before, when they had first lost Yui, who had vanished in Asuna's arms.

Trembling, alabaster fingers gently brushed over the fuzzy, black hair as Asuna took in her daughter's deathly silent state.

"No..." she croaked, grief welling up inside of her, lurching like the waves of an ocean. "No... this can't..." Her face contorted into an expression of ten times the pain she had felt during the labor. Her caramel eyes flashed with horror, guilt, heartache, and finally, an endless love that never got the chance to blossom.

"Asuna..." Kazuto forced his voice from breaking as he stroked the back of her hand with his fingers. He wanted to say something, anything, to try and lessen her unbearable grief, but he himself was simply at a loss for words at the cruel hand fate had dealt them.

He knew it was not Asuna's fault this had happened, but he also knew that telling her that right now would only serve to upset her further. He could only listen as her hopeless voice continued to spill out.

"No... I swore I would..." she hiccuped, her tone rising into a subdued shriek. "Our... our baby... our first child... in this world..."

Unable to go on, Asuna bowed her head over the pink blanket and wept, her body shuddering violently. Her voice then rose into a heartbreakingly agonizing wail.

Kazuto gently wrapped his arms around her and his daughter and rested his chin atop Asuna's head. _It's not your fault._ He willed her to hear his thoughts as tears began to overflow from his eyes again. _You did everything you were supposed to. You did everything you could do. It's not your fault..._

He stroked her long, chestnut hair down her back as they continued to sob for the loss of their baby.

It must have been hours they laid there, but when Kazuto raised his head suddenly, he saw that the doctors were still in the room with their heads bowed solemnly. Kazuto immediately directed his gaze at Aki, who instantly noticed the seriousness in his eyes, pushing past the grief.

"A-Aki-sensei!" He shouted.

He was sure of it.

It was no mistake.

"What is it?" The doctor slowly took a step toward the bed, but froze when she too heard what Kazuto had heard.

A breath.

A whimper.

That was all it had been.

But he had heard it, and so had Asuna.

The couple slowly moved back from the pink blanket as Aki peered over them.

Tiny, pink fingers that were balled into fists were clutching at the fabric.

Two, tiny caramel eyes blinked slightly open.

A tiny mouth had turned into a wide circle and hiccuped once before gradually growing louder.

She was breathing.

She was crying.

_She was alive._

The entire room filled with gasps and exclamations of shock and joy. Asuna looked to Kazuto and then back down, as if asking him if this was real before gently lifting the baby into her arms. Kazuto pushed himself shakily to his feet long enough to sit on the edge of the bed beside her, wrapping both arms around Asuna and their crying daughter.

"She... She's alive..." Asuna breathed, large tears falling from her cheeks and melting away into the pink blanket.

Kazuto could not manage to say anything as he simply embraced her tighter, nodding his head vigorously.

"It's... a miracle..." Aki murmured. "That's all it can be described as." She addressed both the medical personnel and the couple on the bed. "Occasionally, an unresponsive infant will revive once they're with their mother, but I've never seen it take so long before and yield such results..." she was at a loss for words, it appeared, just as the others were.

Asuna and Kazuto smiled past their tears, gently stroking their daughter's hair and offering fingers for her to clutch onto.

"She has your hair." Asuna giggled lightly.

"And your eyes." He replied, fondly stroking Asuna's back.

"She's our little miracle." Asuna breathed a sigh mixed with exhaustion, relief, and the utmost love.

"She is." Kazuto agreed, wiping his face on his sleeve before he met his wife's gaze for a brief moment. "You were my miracle, Asuna. And you still are."

"And you are mine." She replied with a tearful smile.

Kazuto leaned down and kissed her lovingly for a long moment, and then gently kissed their daughter's head. Asuna did the same. "Our first child in this world..." Asuna murmured. "We'll need to think of a name. Our little princess..."

Kazuto looked thoughtfully out the window for a moment at the light snow falling so abnormally early for this time of year.

"Snow..." he mumbled. "Our little snow princess."

"But her hair is black, so she can be Snow Black." Asuna joked.

"I think that would be a good _nickname_," Kazuto agreed. "But for now let's just take our time to think of a name. We have all the time in the world." Asuna nodded once as he embraced her again, and she nestled her face into his chest. "You're an amazing woman, Asuna. You're the best wife anyone could have. You brought our daughter safely into this world against all odds, and you still kept your promise..." he whispered. "Thank you, Asuna. I love you so much..."

"I love you, too, Kazuto-kun."

For a long while, the family nestled into a warm embrace, and even their crying child seemed to sense the emotion, for she ceased wailing and instead hiccuped the equivalence of giggles.

"It's all part of of the biggest miracle of my life;" Kazuto held his daughter's tiny hand and smiled as he kissed Asuna again. "The miracle of loving you."

* * *

**A/N: That was the most difficult thing I have ever had to write in my entire career thus far. It took so much time for me to think of the way to convey everything, so I can only pray you found it as I intended it to be. **

**If you have knowledge of Accel World, Kawahara Reki's work before Sword Art Online, this story is based off the popular, currently unofficial theory that Kuroyukihime (Snow Black) is the daughter of Kazuto and Asuna. This was why the dates were so troublesome for me to get right, to coincide Asuna's pregnancy with Kuroyukihime's birthday, Sept 30th. My intention was to tell the story of her birth but keep it as a great romance story between Kazuto and Asuna, one of my favorite couples of all time :'3**

**Thank you so much for reading my first attempt at a marriage, wedding, and family story. I've never written anything like it before, but I felt Kazuto and Asuna deserved it above all others.**

**Please look forward to my next SAO stories, and please review!**


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